108 



RURAL LIFE. 



craft. The caj^acity of acqi;iring and retain- 

 ing such universal information, is certainly 

 very desirable ; yet it is so rare as to excite 

 astonishment when it exists naturally, and so 

 difficult of attainment that most men who at- 

 tempt it become mere smatterers, without a 

 real knowledge of anything ; which last are 

 always the greatest bores, as the former are 

 the most entertaining companions. 



The great mass of the human race would 

 do well to confine their energies to one chan- 

 nel ; and yet, when we consider the endless 

 variety of subjects which might naturally ex- 

 cite the wonder and curiosity of every one at 

 first sight, we can but be surprised not only 

 at the great ignoi'ance, but at the indifference, 

 of those who are constantly brought in con- 

 tact with them. In nothing is this apathy 

 more remarkable than in regard to the won- 

 ders of the natural world. 



The wonders and mysteries of the life and 

 growth of trees and plants, are enough to fur- 

 nish subjects of study and reflection for a life 

 time ; yet in nine-tenths of the human race, 

 they excite less interest than the last new 

 toy, or trick, whose operation is based upon 

 well known principles, or whose mystery we 

 know to be only a jugglery. 



The grapevine, which covers the arbor in 

 which I write, is fed with materials offensive 

 to the senses, and which would be destructive 

 to health and comfort if left to spread their 

 poison in the air ; but being buried in the 

 earth, within reach of the roots of this vine, 

 they are transformed into luxuriant foliage, — 

 blossoms of most delicate fragrance, and fruit 

 of most luscious flavor ; and then after a pe- 

 riod of apparent death, the wonderful process 

 is renewed, and so it goes on year after year 

 for a life time. If the wealth of the universe 

 were offered for its performance, human power 

 could not accomplish this transformation. 

 Human knowledge cannot explain, human 

 imagination cannot conceive, how it is brought 



about ; and yet, for one man, who ever feels 

 any surprise or curiosity at sight of such an 

 object, you shall find a thousand who are as- 

 tonished at the working of a steam engine, 

 and ten thousand who are mystified and awe 

 struck with the " Rochester knockings." 



But to come down to simpler matters. 

 To one who is practically engaged in the cul- 

 ture of the soil, it is amusing to observe how 

 little is known of the subject by those whot 

 are otherwise occupied. Thousands of worthy 

 and intelligent inhabitants of our cities, whose 

 means enable them to provide their tables 

 daily with the best fruits and vegetables of 

 the season, know nothing more of the history 

 of the articles which minister so largely to 

 their comfort, than that they are to be found, 

 ripe or green as the case may be, in certain 

 shops and stalls about the city. 



For the most part, it is probable that no 

 thought of their previous existence ever enters 

 their minds ; and yet the fact is not without 

 interest, that the vegetables now smoking on 

 the board, were yesterday growing in a field 

 perhaps a hundred miles off, and for months 

 have been an object of care and interest to 

 some one who planted and reared them ; that 

 their perfection is the result of scientific re- 

 search and careful experiments, conducted for 

 a long series of years. 



And to come closer home — how large a 

 portion of the people who live in the country, 

 and even of those who are actually engaged 

 in the culture of the soil, are not only utterly 

 ignorant of the nature of the plants they cul- 

 tivate, the functions of the different parts, and 

 the conditions of their existence and health, 

 but have never even felt any curiosity on the 

 subject, — in short, have never thought of it; 

 and yet therein consists the true charm of the 

 farmer's like — the life whose delights have 

 been so often set forth by poets, good and 

 bad, and have caused such oft repeated disap- 

 pointments to rurally disposed cockneys. 



